Does Obama have enough time to beat Clinton?

OBAMA IS GAINING ON CLINTON...

A few months ago it looked like Hillary Clinton had the Democratic race sown up. All of the uncertainty was on the GOP side. Times have changed. McCain is now the overwhelming favourite for the GOP nomination - leading in all five recent Super Duper Tuesday polls - and Obama is gaining on Mrs Clinton. The extent of Obama's momentum is discussed by Dick Morris in a special post for Rasmussen polling. Most notable is a reduction in Clinton's California advantage to just 3% from 20% a few weeks ago. The overall national lead for the former First Lady in the RCP moving average is 8.5%; although the most recent poll - for Gallup - put Obama just 4% behind.

...AND HE HAS THE MONEY TO DRAW CLOSER

Obama has the money to contest every Super Tuesday state. He raised $1m every day in January and is planning a $10m spending campaign over the next few days.

One of the other big differences between the GOP and Democrat contests is that the GOP is running a number of winner-takes-all votes. Second-placed Democrats, notes The Economist, still get delegates in key states which reduces the chance of a Super Tuesday wipeout.

THE IRAQ FACTOR

John O'Sullivan worries that Iraq - although better - will still hurt the Republicans:

"Whether we like it or not, Democrats are closer to the majority view on Iraq. The success of the surge has reduced the salience of Iraq as an issue damaging the GOP but that has not made it an issue that wins votes for the GOP. So it did no damage for Hillary and Obama to discuss it endlessly and their disagreement—who is most reliably determined to leave — will not anger their supporters or most uncommitted voters."

BEST JOKE OF THE DAY

From Hillary Clinton during the Democrats' debate: "It did take a Clinton to clean up after the first Bush and I think it might take another one to clean up after the second Bush." Okay; it wasn't that funny.

After watching the juvenile Obama turn his back and decline shaking hands with Hillary at the State of the Union Address it becam obviuos to me that Obama lacks the maturity and statesmanship qualities to be the president. This on top of only being a first time seantor who hardly makes it to session and most often voted present instead of yeah or nay. No way is he near ready enough to lead THIS country never mind a small town. Where was HIS military service? The fact that GW Bush was ONLY a reserve and for a litied time was a huge issue, now it's all right for the Commander In Chief to have never ev en led a boy scout troop ?

Obama is a complete fraud - and yet the media in the western world is eating out of his hands. How pathetic it is that the media is amongst the biggest voices demanding substance in politics over style yet at the very same time, these cretins proclaim the second coming. (of JFK that is).

If he were to win, speaking as somebody always prepared to stick up for America, I might well have to declare the majority of their electorate idiots.

Just remind yourself, this liberal abortionist, amnesy loving pacifict is very happy to sit down and chat with the despicable islamo nazi Iranian regime, yet he couldn't even sit down and debate on Fox News.

I think its a sad state of affairs when this country has gotten to the point of electing a president like we would our favorite rock star. What credentials does Obama really have. He has a outgoing personality, handsome, black, intelligent. But he hasn't even served 4 years in the Senate and has a terrible voting record during his short time there. What qualifies him to take on all the serious issues that face this country. I am embarrassed to think we would think he could take care of all the important issues that face our country today. I think its time the media stays out of electing presidents. They pushed Bush in the last election and we have experienced how qualified he was, and now we are about to make the same mistake again. The only difference is that we will be starting at a new low, when Bush took over he started at a new high after Clinton's term. What will this country look like if we elect a new president who leadership qualilties are as shallow as Obama's. Its time the American people wake up and realize what the news media is trying to sell. We need maturity, not another kid making decisions in the White House.

Democrats always choose their candidate by whomever they fall in love with. Its been that way as long as I can remember. Dems fall in love before the candidate proves themselves. Repubs fall in love after the candidate proves themselves. Ron R. for example.